Machine for feeding inserts



April 26, 1932. T. E] LANE 1,855,638

MACHINE FOR FEEDING INSERTS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 0 I 43 .90 24 5 o I? O O o 1 -31 6 "Zia as o o 23 P o 0 11 2 0 g j 23 O 10 1:

ZWIM

INVENTOR TTORNE;

A ril 26, 1932. T. E. LANE MACHINE FOR FEEDING INSERTS Filed Jan. 29,1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR A TTORNE Y April 26, 1932. T. E. LANEMACHINE FOR FEEDING INSERTS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR TTORNEY April 26, 1932. T. E. LANE MACHINE FOR FEEDING INSERTSFiled Jan. 29

INVENTOR BY in um um J h N L T: u Q W as. i i E L w i 4 HF elf NW ,7 N.mm Q N Sm Wm mi ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINEMACHINE FOR FEEDING INSERTS Application filed January 29, 1929. SerialNo. 335,838.

In the preparation of merchandise for the market it is frequentlydesirable to include an insert in the package or wrapper in which themerchandise is. enclosed, such an insert consisting of aslip of paperbearing advertising matter, directions for using merchandise, or otherinformation. Most merchandise is now packaged or wrapped by automaticmachinery and it is preferable, therefore, to introduce inserts of thecharacter just mentioned by automatic mechanism. To devise a simple andreliable machine for performing this function constitutes the chiefobject of this invention.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel feature will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an insert feeding machine constructedin accordance with this invention and applied to a carton fillingmachine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the insert feeding machine shown in Fig.1, and shows, in section, adjacent parts of the carton filling machine;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the insert feeding machine shown in Figs.1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of said machine; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line 55, Fig.2. I

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the carton filling machine partlyshown in these figures is of a well known type and includes a conveyorbelt 2 on which a series of cartons C rest and are fed forward. Aguideway comprising rails 33 laterally supports and guides the entireseries of cartons onthe belt. The rails 33 are adjustably supported inbrackets 4-4 carried by side rails 5-5. Referring to Fig. 1 it willbe'observed that the forward movement of the cartons in this guideway islimited by a stop 6, and that a plunger 7 arranged to be operated by alever arm 8 is provided to push the cartons laterally oflf the conveyor2 and out of the guideway. This general arrangement is common in severalmakes of carton filling machines found on the market.

The insert feeding machine shown in the drawings is arranged to feedinserts one at a time into the cartons as they come into a predetermined relationship in the plunger 7. This machine comprises a framepiece 10 supported on one of the side rails .5 and side brackets 1212bolted to the frame'piece. The upper ends of the bracket members 1212are connected by a cross piece 13 and two blocks 14 and 15,respectively, arebolted to the upper surfaceof this cross piece. Similarblocks are mounted on the upper end of the frame piece 10 and on thesupport 11, and the three sets of blocks cooperate to support ahorizontal magazine for holdinga supply of inserts to be fed into thecartons. The floor of this magazine consists of three metal strips orbars 16 on which the inserts I rest and the magazine also includes siderails 1717 for laterally supporting the inserts. Preferably the block 15is secured in place by a screw 18, Fig. 5, which extends through a slot19 formed in the cross piece 13 so that it can be adjusted toward orfrom the opposite side piece, and the corresponding blocks at the frontand rear ends of the magazine are similarly mounted, provision thusbeing made for adjusting the width of the magazine to accommodateinserts of different lengths. The rearward end of the magazine may besupported by a curved post or pedestal 19.

The entire series of inserts in the magazine is urged forward by afollower 20 which is slidably mounted in the magazine and is pulledforward by two Weights 21-21, Figs. 3 and 4, which are connected withthe opposite ends of the follower by cords 2222 running over pulleys 23and 24. The front surface of the follower 20 is inclined, as best shownin Fig. 2, so that it tends to hold the inserts in the entire series inan inclined position.

This follower exerts considerable pressure on the inserts and in orderto hold them down on the rails 16 and prevent them from bulgingupwardly, two horizontal rods 25-25 are arranged to rest on the upperedges of the inserts. At the forward end of the magazine these rods arewelded to a cross shaft 26 which is mounted in clips 27-27 adjustablysecured by screws 28-28 to the opposite sides of the magazine. Therearward ends of the rods 25-25 are welded to a cross rod 30 whichnormally rests in the upper forked ends of two slotted clips 313ladjustably secured by screws 32--32, respectively, to the opposite sidesof the magazine.

This construction permits the rearward ends of the rods 2525 to beraised when it is necessary to replenish the supply of inserts in themagazine, the rods swinging about the axis of the cross shaft 26.Normally, however, the rods are locked in their horizontal positionsby ahold-down device comprising a hook-34 formed on the forward end of asleeve 35 which is mounted to slide vertically ona rod 36 and normallyis pressed downwardly by a coiled spring 37 enclosed in the sleeve andsurrounding the rod. A han-- die '38 projects rearwardly from the sleeveand may conveniently be grasped in order to lift the hook off the crossrod. The rod 36 extends into and is secured to a part 40 which isfulcrumed at 41 in ears projecting rearwardly from the part 11.

i The inserts are fed out of the forward end of the magazine one at atime by means of one or more friction feed wheels. In the constructionshown three feed wheels 43 are used, the surface of each wheelconsisting of knurled rubber and all three wheels being secured fast tobut adj ustably on a horizontal to rock on the shaft 44. A link 48connects the upper end of this arm with a block 50, Figs. 3 and 4, whichis adjustable longitudinally in a slot 51 formed in an operating lever52 mounted to rock on the shaft 53.

, The lower end of this lever is forked and machined to receive slidablya block 54 in which a stub shaft 55 is mounted, this shaft being securedto and, projecting laterally from the upper end of the lever 8, previously referred (to.

In order to prevent the feeding of more than one insert at a time, threegates, one for each of'the feed wheels 43, are arranged immediatelybelow the forward. end of the magazine and in line with the respectivefeed wheels. One of these gates is shown in Fig. 2 at 57. It comprises ametal piece provided with a recess in its upper surface in which a softrubber pad 58 is secured. The gate is 'urged forward toward its feedwheel by a spring 60, and it is guided partly by a metal piece 61mounted on the upper end of the frame piece 10 and partly by a stem 62which projects rearwardly from the gate 57 and 7 slides through one ofthe blocks that supports the magazine rails. Movement of the gatelaterally out of the guideway it also operates to give the feed Wheels43 a feeding movement, this motionvbeing transmitted through the lever52, link 48 and pawl 46. The knurled rubber'surf'aces of the wheels,acting on the foremost label, carry it downwardiy out of the magazineand past the gates 57.

At this timea carton'is positioned directly in front of the insertfeeding machine so that theinsert so fed out of the magazine drops intothe upper open end of the carton. As soon as the plunger 7, Fig. 1,withdraws, the belt 2 moves the entire series of cartons forward againand thus positions another car 3 ton in readiness to recelve an nsert.

Suiticient friction is applied to the feed wheel shaft to prevent anybackwardrotation of the feed wheels when the plunger moves rearwardly.The inserts at the front of the bythe rods magazine are held down partly25 and also by a roll 64 mounted on the shaft 26. A wire guide 65, Fig.2, also'may be provided to assist in directing each insert as it'is fedout of the magazine into the top of the carton. gates 5'7 efiectuallyprevents the feeding of more than one insert at a time due to thefrictional resistance which they apply to the insert immediately behindthe one on which the feed wheels are acting. A fairly accurateadjustment of the gate is necessary for this purpose, and such anadjustment is easily obtained by the setting of the nuts 63. It will beobserved that any insert must be fed out of the magazine against thefrictional drag applied by therubber members- 58 to the surface of theinsert opposite to that engaged by the feed wheels. The drag so appliedis very appreciable andsi'nce the insert immediately behind the onebeing fed tends to move with the latter solely through contact with it,the feeding movement so applied is not sufficient to overcome theresistance applied by the rubber, tips 58.

lVhenever the supply of inserts becomes depleted'the hook 34 is liftedofi the rod 30, the rods 2525 areraised, the follower 20 drawnbackwardly, andan additional supply is placedebetween the follower andthe series of inserts remaining in the magazine. The rods 2525 are thenreturned to their normal positions. i i The invention thus provides arelatively simple mechanism for feeding inserts, the machine can bemanufactured economically, has a high degree of reliability, andrequires The rubber pieces 58 "in the relatively little attention. Ithas been illustrated in connection with a carton filling and sealingmachine since it is frequently used in this relationship, but it will beunderstood that the machine can be used in other relationships. It maybe pointed out, however, that it is of advantage to drive. the feedwheels 43 from the plunger 8 when the mechanism is applied to a cartonfilling machine or the like, since this arrangement provides aconvenient means for timing the operation of the insert feedingmechanism. Usually, also, carton filling and sealing machines are soorganized that if the feeding ofthe cartons is stopped for any reasonthe operation of the plunger which acts on the cartons also is stopped.By deriving the insert feeding movement from the plunger, therefore, themechanism always remains properly timed with the handling of thecartons.

While I have herein shown and described, a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied inother forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aguideway for a series of cartons; a plunger for pushing the cartonstransversely 01% said guideway; mechanism for delivering an insert toeach carton, said mechanism comprising a magazine for holding a supplyof said inserts, a friction feed wheel for engaging the foremost insertin the magazine and feeding it out of the magazine, and a friction gatecooperating with said feed wheel to prevent the feeding of more than oneinsert at a time; and lever and link connections between said plungerand feed wheel for operating the feed wheel.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aguideway for a series of cartons; a plunger for pushing the cartonstransversely ofi said guideway; mechanism for delivering an insert toeach of said cartons as they arrive, respectively, in a predeterminedrelationship to said plunger; said mechanism comprising a substantiallyhorizontal magazine for holding a supply of inserts, a friction feedwheel for engaging the foremost insert in the magazine and feeding itout of the magazine, and an adjustable gate positioned closely adjacentto and in alinement with said feed wheel for preventing the feed of morethan one insert at a time; and connections between said feed wheel andsaid plunger for operating the feed wheel intermittently.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aguideway for a series of cartons; a plunger for pushing the cartonstransversely off said guideway; mechanism for delivering inserts to thecartons on said erating the feeding means.

4. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a guideway for a series of cartons; a plunger forpushing the cartons transversely off said guideway; mechanism fordelivering inserts to the cartons on said guideway comprising a magazinefor holding a supply of said inserts and means for engaging the foremostinsert in the magazine and feeding it outof the magazine; and adjustablelever and link connections between said plunger and said feeding meansincluding a pawl and ratchet mechanism through which said plunger isoperative to actuate said feeding means.

5. In an insert feeding mechanism, the combination of a magazine forholding a supply of inserts, a friction feeding wheel for engaging theforemost insert in said magazine and feeding it out of the magazine,said magazine including a bar on which the inserts rest and said barhaving a bevelled end positioned closely adjacent to said feed wheel, agate mounted immediately below said bar and having a part made of rubberto engage the face of each insert opposite to that engaged by the feedwheel as the inserts are fed one at a time out of the magazine, meanssupporting said gate for movement toward and from said wheel in adirection approximately parallel to said bar, a spring for pressing saidgate forward in said direction toward said wheel, means cooperating withsaid spring for adjusting said gate backward or forward in saiddirection relatively to said wheel, and mechanism for operating saidfeed wheel.

THOMAS E. LANE.

